Fire and ice
by Kaosu-hime
Summary: Ice can burn like fire" My first fanfic.


Fire and Ice

"You are ice and fire the touch of you burns my hand like snow" ~Amy Lowell

The morning sun was just waking out of its slumber when Ayla strolled onto the hill overlooking the field. She paused a moment and took a deep breath. She felt the warm breath of wind slip delicately through her light blonde hair and savored the vast variety of scents of wild flowers as diverse as the shades of blue of her eyes. Morning birds chirped merrily from nearby trees.

When all her body had absorbed as much of the nature around her as it could hold, her eyes sparkled. Only weeks ago, this field had been snowy and icy and it stretched infinitely into the distance. Now, much of the pure white had faded. Most of it had melted and the grass that peeked out was becoming greener as if someone spilled deep green paint upon the blades.

"You're up early, Ayla," a cheery voice behind her said.

She knew the voice before even needed to look. Her heart thumped deeply. "Chamka…" she smiled a welcome.

He grinned. Reaching his long arms over his blue-haired head, he stretched a little. He plopped down beside her and, lying among the grass, closed his dark eyes.

She couldn't help but notice how good-looking he was. How proud his nose was and gentle his lips were. How his hair fell softly into his deep eyes. She reached out and moved a strand out of his face. His only response was to smile a little.

She remembered how they first met.

Seven years ago, when the maw attacked the Han village, Chamka's father was killed in front of his eyes. He would've died as well if it wasn't for her brother Emthatt who saved him just in time with his unique power. She was young but she could clearly remember the expression on Chamka's face. A mixture of gratefulness and fear…

Years later, it would be Chamka who would freeze her in a wall of ice. It was his first display of his Celestial power. Her hand trembled. She remembered how his normally kind eyes had been blazing with fury and how they briefly shone blue as he released his power for the first time. If it wasn't for her quick movements, it would've been Emthatt encased within the ice. There was a bright flash and…silence. Nothing could be heard.

Gradually, she began to hear her own heartbeat and incoherent thoughts became clear. But she couldn't hear the fearful calls of her brother or the frightened cries of the boy who thought he had killed her.

Frozen in the ice, it was like sleeping. Time had no meaning within that empty world. All she was aware of was her beating heart and thoughts. Just her in this world. She wasn't sure how long she had been in there. So on she slept.

Then, there was a sudden warmth. The sound of cracking ice filled her ears. And with a resounding crash, her silent world shattered.

"…Ayla! Hang on!" That familiar voice. She knew it.

"E…Emthatt…?" she asked weakly. Then all went dark.

When she stirred again, she found herself in one of the Han's large tents. Chamka was beside her, eyes intent and eyebrows knitted in worry.

"Ayla…" he murmured softly.

She blushed. "Chamka…"

He leaned towards her. "Are you alright?"

Bowing her head, she nodded, feeling her light blonde hair fall from her shoulder. Her heart thumped excitedly. Maybe it was then this feeling was born. For the month after, he would always apologize, try to make up for his mistake. How he had accidentally frozen her into ice for a year.

But it didn't matter. There was no anger or unpleasant feeling present in her heart, not then not ever. She loved his smile, his kindness and friendliness towards her, his determination, boundless enthusiasm.

The only thing that held her back was her awareness of his feelings toward her older "sister" Takiko. She knew he had liked her for a while. Takiko assured her that there was only friendship between them; at most it was a sibling-like love.

"…Ayla."

She woke out of her thoughts. "What is it, Chamka?"

He sat up and scratched his head. He didn't meet her eyes. "I don't know how to apologize…"

Immediately she knew he was referring to her imprisonment within the ice. "Don't worry about it," she smiled. She felt no resentment towards him because of it. "I'm just happy that you came back."

His smile in return was a little hesitant. She knew he still felt guilty about it.

"Oh. I wanted to give you something before we leave later."

Curling his long fingers a little, he swirled his icy power in his hand. Grasping a hand on her lap, he placed his palm on top of hers before she could protest. At first, all she was aware of was the heat traveling through their touching hands. His touch burned and chilled her at the same time, like snow upon her bare skin. Then she felt something cold, something bitingly cold, forming. When he finally pulled his hand away, a small ice flower sat in her hand, glinting brightly.

A warmth caused by more than the rising sun reddened her face. "How did you know...?" She started shyly.

"That your favorite flower was a lily?" he finished for her. He grinned mischievously, eyes dancing wickedly. "It's a secret."

She couldn't think of what to say. All coherent thoughts shut down in her mind.

But she was spared an answer. "Hey! Chamka, Tomite, whatever you're called!" Limdo's impatient voice carried itself to the pair from the bottom of the hill.

"Uruki!" Chamka yelled back, calling his fellow Celestial Warrior by his Warrior name.

"Whatever," he repeated. He gestured towards the waiting earth dragon. "We're going."

Standing up and briefly waving back, Chamka turned back to Ayla. "Well, I'm going Ayla. I'll be back as soon as I can, alright?"

She extended a hand and grasped his sleeve gently. His surprised eyes met her yearning ones. "Be safe." She murmured.

His face beneath tanned skin darkened a little as he nodded.

As he ran down the hill, she noted how nicely the golden sunlight stained his dark blue hair. Setting the delicate flower on her lap, she hugged herself and blushed. Shivers of an unknown feeling enveloped her, beginning on the fingers where he touched her through her whole body. Freezing her with a burning fire like fresh snow.


End file.
